Broken
by Gothic984
Summary: Lucas tries to control his rage and focus on his boys, while Gail runs into an unexpected figure from her past.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories and follows on from Into The Fire.

It was a quiet Friday evening in Trinity South Carolina, all the streets were deserted due to unprecedented cold spell that had hit the Town and most residents were tucked away at home with their loved ones.

Billy Peele sat with his companion Christie in a small Diner, away from the main area of Town. It had been a few weeks since Gail Buck's lifestyle article had been published and the moods of their friends did not appear to be improving. Billy had been spending more time with Lucas and the boys, while Gail had thrown herself into her work and this had been the first time he had been able to get away to see Christie in a while.

'It's all just crazy' Billy explained in an irritated tone, 'I don't know what's wrong with Gail but she needs to snap out of it soon, or I'm likely to explode along with Lucas'

Christie sat peacefully sipping her cappuccino and listened to her companions ramblings. This situation had worked out well for her as she finally had her friend back and she was quite happy for the breakup to continue, if it meant her friend was getting back to her old self. She adored Billy, regardless of Gail's warnings about his girlfriend; however, she did not see what the issue was with Gail's current behaviour and was baffled with how personally he was taking it.

'It's just not lady like, abandoning your family in such a way' Billy continued, not noticing the large intake of breath that Christie took at the comment. 'You can't just walk out for no reason and expect a man to just accept it, it's ludicrous'

'Firstly, Gail never walks out of something she's committed to for no reason. Secondly, what's ludicrous is how a man can clearly treat his wife as a possession, then spit his dummy out when she finally decides to be free. Why would I ever expect you blame a controlling man, when an innocent woman can be the scapegoat instead?' Christie interjected, becoming sick of the one sided opinion.

Billy stared at her cautiously for a moment, sensing he had overstepped some boundary and let out a long sigh. He had not intended this meal to become a discussion about their friends and was disappointed in himself for allowing it to distract him from his true intentions. 'How's your day been? Fancy heading down to Jimmy's bar to help us unwind?' he asked, sensing a change of subject was required.

Christie stared at her watch and shook her head dismissively. His outlook on her best friends situation had killed the mood for her and she was not in the right frame of mind to continue this date. 'I have a lot to do and someone that I need to check in on. Rain check?' she asked forcing a smile, then got up from the table before waiting for his answer and exited the Diner.

Billy felt a wave of disappointment as he watched her go and shook his head in irritation. He supposed he should go home and check in on Selena, considering he had been avoiding her due to his recent rendezvous's with Christie.

* * *

Ben Healy sat in the warm Study of the Buck Mansion, watching his daughter Izzy play happily with Luke. They had been lucky that both children were born at a similar time and they appeared content with each others company, unaware of what problems befell the adults around them. Ben envied their innocence and wished he would be granted oblivion.

The last two months had been uncomfortable to say the least, he had discovered from his Boss' ungroomed appearance and mood swings that there was serious problems with his personal life, which meant that some poor souls were going to suffer. If his Boss had been any other person that would have been fine; however, he happened to be Lucas Buck, their sociopath Sheriff and his oldest friend, who he planned on asking to be the Best Man at his wedding.

Ben wanted nothing more than to steer clear of all drama surrounding Lucas, knowing what the man really was; however, Gail was also one of his best friends too and he knew Rita was going to ask her to be her Maid of Honour, which would no doubt cause all sorts of hell if they were still experiencing issues at their wedding.

Lucas was a private man, Ben had been trying to determine the best way to help in this situation for the sake of his wedding and the well-being of others; however, the man kept his feelings bottled up tighter than anyone he had ever met, until he eventually cracked and lashed out at some unsuspecting bystander.

Ben had witnessed a lapse of control two weeks ago when Lucas had been talking to a low life in the back of their cruiser, who they had picked up on suspicion of theft. Lucas had been fine one minute, then he ordered Ben to pull over and dragged Bobby Mayer out of the car by his hair, threw him over the Harriot's farm fence and watched as the large pigs from the pen started chomping at his legs. The whole ordeal had been horrifying, especially seen as Ben had never witnessed pigs attack a human before; however, Lucas had shrugged off the matter and allowed Ben to take Bobby to the hospital, after a pig took a chunk out of his leg.

As Ben recalled the ordeal, he let off an involuntary shudder and tried to focus on the innocent children playing before him. It had been a while since he had witnessed Lucas' dark side and he had truly thought Gail's influence had calmed him down.

'No chance of that friend' Lucas advised nonchalantly and handed his friend a beer.

Ben turned towards Lucas with wide eyes, then relaxed and took a sip of his beer when the man appeared calm. 'How long have you got Luke for?' he asked, thinking it best to stick around as long as he could to ensure his friend kept out of trouble.

Lucas sensed his concern and smiled, who'd have thought Ben would develop a back bone and try to keep him in line? 'The boy's Mother is workin' late and I ain't leavin' him with Abe. She can try and take him when she's ready, but as far as I'm concerned my boy's back home indefinitely' he stated and attempted to keep the frustration out of his voice.

Ben sensed the anger beneath Lucas' tone and inhaled deeply, in an attempt to calm his nerves. He could see his friend was close to snapping again; however, he did not know the right thing to do to help him.

'You're a good man Ben' Lucas said, sensing his thoughts and signalled for him to leave. 'Why don't you go home to your fiance so she can settle for the night?'

Ben heard the order in the suggestion and let out a small laugh. 'You gonna settle in for the night too?' he asked, not wanting any bad act on his conscience.

'I've got a baby and a young teen, I'd say I've got enough to keep me busy at home Deputy' Lucas advised sarcastically and nodded his appreciation towards Ben when he left.

Caleb wandered in from the kitchen and sat down beside Luke, then handed him his bottle. Lucas watched his boys fondly and let out a long sigh at his love's stubbornness, which was breaking up their family. The thought caused a surge of anger to flow through him and he got up to leave the Study, with the aim of blowing off some steam.

'Sit down' Caleb ordered calmly, not taking his eyes off of Luke.

Lucas turned towards his eldest and stared down at him bemused. 'Come again?' he asked in disbelief of the order.

Caleb inhaled deeply and stroked Luke's head affectionately, admiring his brothers thick caramel blond hair. 'You go doin' somethin' silly and she'll never come home, so sit down and look after us like a father should' he ordered in irritation at the situation.

Lucas regarded Caleb angrily for a moment, ready to insert his dominance, then returned to his seat and picked up his beer. 'None of this is your fault you know?' he advised, annoyed at himself for allowing his boys to be affected by this.

Caleb let out a small laugh and shook his head in disbelief. 'I ain't done anythin' wrong, neither has Luke. Gail still likes us so whatever you did you need undo it, as this ain't fair on us' he snapped, then picked up Luke carefully and headed towards his bedroom.

Lucas took another sip of beer as he watched his boys leave the room, then stood up and inhaled deeply before throwing the bottle of beer at the wall in frustration.

* * *

Gail sat in her large office, staring at the lifestyle article she had written with disgust. Although the powers that be had retracted their ban on her investigating real news, they had insisted that she still remain the lifestyle columnist due to her popularity with the locals; therefore, she had been stuck writing about mundane things that were of no interest to her.

She glanced at the tattoo on her wrist and it made her smile. Lucas had been very careful not to interfere with her career after she allowed herself to be permanently scarred and the thought of his face when he realised what she had done amused her. If a few tattoos were all it took to get him off of her case, she would have done this a lot sooner.

Inner peace, that was what the symbol on her wrist stood for. She ran her finger over it carefully and shook her head at how far removed her life was from peace. Things had not gotten easier and her feelings of betrayal had only magnified since she left her home with Luke. She was trying her best to keep up appearances, to not alert the gossiping biddies of their current issues; however, she suspected there were whispers around Town of her staying with her Uncle Abe and it would not take long for people to notice their beloved Sheriff's family had been torn apart.

The thought of people interjecting themselves into her business caused a wave of rage to flood her brain and she felt the need to scream. All she wanted was to have some normality in her life but she was stuck in this limbo, due to her husbands lack of control or care for her. She had a sudden urge to throw her mug of coffee at the wall in frustration; however, a small knock on the office door interrupted that thought and she just called for the person to enter.

Christie opened the door slowly, peering around the office to ensure she was not interrupting and then entered quickly, closing the door behind her. 'So, you're clearly in a crappy mood. Care to share?' she asked, knowing her best friends tells by now.

Gail stared at Christie suspiciously for a moment, then let out a small laugh and shook her head. The one good thing that came out of her separation was that she had managed to repair the damage to her friendship with Christie and her crazy urge to hurt her had subsided, leaving the only normal thing in her life. 'You don't want to hear about my problems, you want to discuss your guilt' she stated knowingly, then waited patiently for her friend to open up.

Christie sat on the desk in front of Gail, then let out a long sigh. 'I do care about what's bothering you...'

'But you care about off loading your affair with a taken man more' Gail interrupted, then stood up and went for her coat.

'Where are you going?' Christie asked confused, not expecting the conversation to be cut short so soon.

'We're leaving' Gail stated, then signalled for her to follow her out of the building. She was determined to get back to having a normal life and an old fashioned girls night was a good place to start.

* * *

Lucas sat in the main library of his property running his fingers over the books on witchcraft and the occult, which Gail had been so fascinated with. He tried to sense her location, wondering whether he should go to her like he had done on previous occasions; however, the last time he showed up unannounced at her work, she threatened to make their predicament public so it was better for him to steer clear of her for the moment.

When he opened up his minds eye and discovered she was completely closed off to him, he let out an exasperated breath and released his twin out of frustration. It was not often he allowed his twin to roam free since he got married; however, he had no reason to behave now and the longer his love remained parted from him, the more he felt the need to explore his freedom without the binds that being with her required.

He heard the telephone ring in the distance and shook his head in irritation, then headed towards the main area of his home and picked up the telephone before it disturbed his boys. Lucas listened carefully while Billy explained his dilemma and laughed at the mans indecisiveness. He had noticed Gail had buried the hatchet with Christie and suspected they were together tonight; therefore, he would take this opportunity to enlist a spy, even if it was an unsuspecting one.

'Go to her' Lucas ordered in a persuasive tone, interrupting Billy as he rambled on. He sensed the obedience on the other side of the telephone and smiled when the call was terminated. He may not be able to keep an eye on his love; however, he would ensure that someone did.

Lucas inhaled deeply and smiled, as he sat down on his large grandfather chair in front of the fireplace. He sensed his twin had settled on a burly looking man who was locking up a Tattoo Parlour in Goat Town and he nodded appreciatively at his twin's choice. This was almost certainly the man who had marked his love, without his permission and he had been biding his time until she was distracted before making his move.

He saw through his twins eyes for a moment, as it stalked it's prey. The man had no idea what was about to happen and Lucas closed his eyes tight when his twin pounced, then listened as the man began to scream in pain as his skin was pierced continuously by a sharp object . Lucas opened his eyes and gave a satisfied smile, then headed upstairs to check in on his boys.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Gail sat staring into her vodka and lemonade, wondering what wrongs she had done in her past life to deserve the apparent bad karma that plagued her life now. It would be easy to blame Lucas for everything, she had given her soul over to the devil after all; however, that did not explain what she knew deep down.

'My life was a shit storm before I met him' she whispered to herself, taking a long sip of her drink and enjoying the feel of the cold liquid trailing down her throat.

'Huh?' Billy asked from across the booth, turning his attention away from Christie and ignoring her hurt look.

Gail had not meant to speak out loud and waved his attention off, then sighed when her ex friend and her oldest friend began flirting with each other again. She had not initially been bothered by Billy's intrusion of their girls night; however, now he was beginning to grate on her. She watched them with a look of disgust as they began to kiss and her mind returned back to what she had done to deserve this pitiful life.

When Billy kissed Christie more passionately, Gail felt nauseous and shook her head at the public display when he had a girlfriend. Her mind wandered to Selena and how people treated her, due to the clothes she wore and the image she portrayed. Gail herself had sworn off her long skirts and old fashioned cardigans, opting for short dresses or skirts and blouses. People did not tarnish her name when she strolled around in a short skirt in the winter and people did not appear to bat an eye lid at Selena's boyfriend with his hands all over another woman. The double standard made her laugh out loud and she got up to get another drink, before she spoke out of turn.

'Whoa there, better watch where you're goin' Miss Emory' a tall man said, holding his hands up in mock surrender when Gail walked into him.

Gail stared up at the stranger who had called her by her maiden name, her hands still resting on his chest where they had collided and then smiled when her mind placed the face. 'It can't be...Dylan Thomas?' she asked in disbelief and smiled at the handsome man in front of her.

'In the flesh' Dylan laughed, taking her into his arms and spinning her around affectionately.

Gail could not contain her laughter at this bold embrace, then smacked his cheek playfully before crossing her arms in mock disapproval. 'Well Mr Thomas, you've grown since the last time we met' she said sarcastically, feeling a flutter in her stomach at the sight of a friend from her childhood.

'Gail Emory, you've certainly changed since I used to follow y'all around like a puppy all those years ago' Dylan beamed, not believing he had finally ran into her.

'Buck' Billy interjected, standing up from the booth and pulling her to him. 'She's Gail Buck and I think her husband will be expecting her home about now'

Gail could not believe his possessive tone and shrugged his arm off of her, before moving closer to Dylan. 'I'm sure your girlfriend is expecting you home too, I wonder if she knows you're groping another woman in her local bar' she said knowingly, then shook her head when Christie took Billy's arm and stormed out of the bar with him.

'If I was the Sheriff, I'd want you home' Dylan leaned in close and whispered in her ear, ignoring the disapproving looks from his friends across the room.

Gail glanced up at him and smiled playfully, buzzed off the amount of alcohol that she had already had to drink. 'Well it's a good job you aren't the Sheriff, otherwise I'd be in for some real punishment...Come on, buy me a drink' she ordered, then allowed Dylan to lead her to the bar.

* * *

Lucas lay wide awake in his large empty bed and stared up at the ceiling restlessly. He had put his boys to sleep hours earlier and was just beginning to drop off himself, when he sensed an intrusion in his home and waited patiently for the guilty party to make their way up to him. When the door creaked open slowly he closed his eyes and remained still, curious as to what this unexpected visit was in aid of. He waited silently, allowing his breath to become low and decided not to give away his alert state.

Gail took off her heels and stumbled into the room clumsily, then grabbed Luke's crib to steady herself. She had spoken to Abe earlier; therefore, knew Lucas had taken their son and had wanted to see Luke before heading off to sleep for the night. Although she was very drunk, her senses were alert and she knew Lucas was monitoring her discreetly. She chose not to alert him to her knowledge and reached into the crib carefully, then stroked Luke's head tenderly and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

Lucas remained still, not wanting to disturb their tender moment and kept his eyes closed. He could smell the alcohol on her from here and although he disapproved of her being in that state so close to their son, he knew she would never do anything to jeopardise his well-being and willed her to him.

Gail stared down their beautiful sleeping boy for a few moments, then ran her hand through her hair slowly and began unbuttoning her blouse. Seeing Dylan had thrown her emotions into turmoil, it had stirred up old feelings that she had buried deep and she craved a release of the tension building inside of her. She sensed Lucas' desire for her and chose not to fight their connection. She moved closer to the bed and removed her panties as she walked, then threw off the covers and climbed on top of Lucas, taking hold of his hard manhood and placing him inside of her carefully.

Lucas let out a loud moan when he filled her and chose not to ruin this unexpected visit by questioning her motives. Instead he just ran his fingers over her thigh high stockings and accepted what she required of him, happy that she had come to him willingly.

Gail scraped her nails down his bare chest slowly, then tangled her fingers in his chest hair as she called out quietly in ecstasy. Her life may be cursed; however, this was the one constant that never disappointed her and she loved the feel of him inside of her. She laughed at her own weakness for what this Adonis had to offer and inhaled deeply when he pulled himself up to a sitting position and pushed his hips higher, enabling his manhood to go deeper.

Lucas smiled at Gail's clear enjoyment of their union, it had been some time since he had seen her smile and watching her ride him gave him hope that the rough patch they were going through would soon her over. He sensed her climax rising with his and gripped her behind tight, he called out when he erupted inside of her then pushed her down on the bed and manoeuvred himself on top, not ready to let her go.

Gail allowed him to take control and dug her nails into his back. She willed him to take her hard and bit his shoulder playfully when he appeared to sense her desire.

Lucas pounded in and out of her, not able to get enough of her. The lack of union between them recently had taken it's toll on him, making him desperate for her touch and now that he had her, he would take her for all she had.

Gail's climax hit hard and Lucas pulled her face to his for a passionate kiss, then appeared to think better and nuzzled his head into her neck. Gail smiled at his respect for their deal, then retook control and manoeuvred herself on top of him again.

'I'm up for this all night if you are' Lucas panted and slapped her behind playfully as she rode him hard. He moved his hands to her bra and caressed her before squeezing her breasts tight.

Gail had not forgiven him, far from it and this was her relieving her pent up feelings that had stirred unexpectedly. She kept her thoughts well guarded and disregarded the pain she was beginning to feel due to the intense movement, then dug her nails into his chest as their climax came together and buried her head into his shoulder to stifle her call.

Lucas held the back of her neck tight to keep her close to him, while they both tried to get air into their lungs and kissed her neck, her cheek and her nose, ensuring he respected her wishes by avoiding her lips. As his small beard brushed against her cheek, she let out a quiet laugh and he smiled as he ran his lips over the outline of hers. 'It appears my usual grooming has gone by the wayside without my wife at home to police me' he joked.

Gail closed her eyes sadly at the comment, then shook off her regrets and carefully stood, releasing him from her.

Lucas watched confused as she cleaned herself up and put her panties back on. 'You're leavin' now?' he asked in disbelief, wondering what he had done this time.

'This is our deal Lucas, get used to it unless going back to no contact is preferable' she stated calmly and moved back towards Luke's cot.

'Gail' he sighed quietly, after he witnessed her kiss Luke's forehead and creep out of the room; however, she disregarded him and continued down the stairs. Lucas lay back in the bed and stared up a the ceiling, knowing there was going to be no restful sleep for him tonight.

* * *

The morning breeze blew through the open window in the Study and Gideon lay peacefully in front of the large fireplace soaking up the heat, while he watched suspiciously as the small child crawled slowly towards him. He let out a low growl, in warning against what he sensed was coming next and blew out a long breath when he felt the tiny fingers close around his tail tight and the pulling began.

Caleb watched cautiously as Luke tugged on Gideon's tail and half expected the mysterious dog to attempt to retaliate viciously, without Gail being present to control him; however, the dog just started licking the ball of Luke's bare foot and made his brother laugh loudly. Caleb shook his head at the display and turned towards the door to the Study when he heard his father finally approaching. Lucas had overslept again and Caleb had thought it best to bring Luke down with him, to avoid him disturbing his father.

'That was mighty considerate of you' Lucas advised, as he walked past his boys and headed for the coffee pot Caleb had already brewed for him. His eldest was becoming essential in helping him get out to work in the mornings; however, at some point he would have to stop depending on him and start behaving in a responsible manner.

Lucas approached the couch where Caleb sat and followed his eyes to where Luke was laying on his back giggling, while Gideon placed a large paw on him to hold him in place. His youngest was struggling to get up, whilst still attempting to obtain the mutts tail; however, Gideon held him down effortlessly and continued to lick his feet.

'He wouldn't play with me like that' Caleb stated bitterly, unable to hide his jealousy.

'He'd rip my throat out if I went anywhere near him, so count yourself lucky you ain't me son' Lucas advised, then shot him a playful wink.

Gideon let out a loud growl, sensing their attention on him and then went back to licking the baby. Luke let out a loud scream; however, he continued to laugh and Gideon curled up around him protectively, ensuring the baby was warm.

'You think he misses her too?' Caleb asked, watching Gideon form a protective barrier around his brother.

'I think he's guardin' you both while she ain't around, ready for when she get's back' Lucas stated, attempting to remain positive.

'If she ever does come back' Caleb shrugged moodily, then got up and headed towards the kitchen.

Lucas shook his head in irritation and watched as Luke attempted to climb over Gideon. He was not fond of the mutt; however, he did appear to want to protect his boys and that was something they both had in common.

When Caleb returned with a glass of milk, Lucas downed his coffee and braved approaching Gideon to lift up Luke. He held up his youngest and stared at him with warning when his small hands closed in around his cheeks, then pulled his cheeks forward to force his lips into a pout. Lucas tried to hold in his amusement when Caleb spat out his milk with laughter and kept a serious face when Luke pulled his face closer and kissed his lips.

'At least someone likes you' Caleb joked and stroked Luke's back affectionately.

Lucas shot him a mock look of disapproval, then turned his attention back to Luke and thought for a moment. 'You know what? I think we're overdue teachin' our boy about our favourite pastime' he advised, then smiled when the realisation hit Caleb.

Caleb jumped up excitedly, then ran out of the Study to find his fishing rod. Lucas turned to Luke and stroked his head gently, before rubbing his nose on his and shaking his head. 'If that ol' Mother of yours truly wants to leave us, she'll have to get used to not havin' you' Lucas advised him, then left the Study and ignored Gideon's disapproving growls.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Lucas strolled down the Pier pushing Luke's pram, with Caleb following alongside him eating an ice cream. Although the weather was cold, his family did not feel it and Lucas put that down to good genes. He was enjoying the peaceful walk, when he spotted Selena sauntering towards them and let out a long exasperated sigh at her presence.

Selena caught him rolling his eyes as she approached and smiled pleasantly. 'Is that any way to greet a friend?' she asked, feigning hurt.

'I got enough friends and ain't none of them named Selena' Lucas stated and continued to push Luke's pram.

Selena laughed at the comment and shook her head at his appearance. 'Since when do you go for the dishevelled look? Isn't the lovely Mrs Buck taking care of you like she should?' she asked sarcastically, then gently ran her fingers over his short beard.

Lucas stopped when she had the audacity to touch him uninvited and regarded her flatly. 'You don't like the look Miss Coombs? I gathered you'd go for anything these days, considering your love is nowhere to be found' he stated hurtfully, waiting for any excuse to punish her and vent his frustration.

'I was just wondering why your wife was showing off a different model, but seeing you now has answered my question' she smirked, not taking the bait and signalled further down the Pier then waited for his reaction.

Lucas regarded her confused for a moment, then glanced in the direction she was facing and spotted a familiar figure.

'Mmmu...mmu...' Luke started frantically, when he heard the familiar laugh and tried to get out of his buggy.

Caleb glanced at his brother, then turned towards Lucas who was frozen on the spot. He saw the look of rage in his fathers eyes and turned towards the direction he was staring, then spotted Gail strolling ahead of them with a man he had never seen before. He sensed how close to the edge his father was and placed a reassuring hand on his arm, before pulling him in Gail's direction. He did not know what this was; however, he suspected the best course of action was to confront his cousin.

Gail laughed with Dylan as they recalled their childhood together and felt completely at ease for the first time in months, she could not believe that she had forgotten about her childhood friend and was thankful she had run in to him last night. Suddenly a dark cloud engulfed her and her body tensed, she glanced around the area and her eyes rested on her family coming towards them, with Selena following close behind.

Dylan spotted her unease instantly, then looked in the direction she was focused on and inhaled deeply. This meeting had been inevitable and he took a deep breath as the group drew near. 'Afternoon Sheriff' he called openly, trying to appear nonthreatening.

Lucas felt his twin clawing to be released, then felt Caleb's hand tighten on his arm and kept himself under control.

'Afternoon' Caleb forced a smile, sensing Lucas needed a minute to calm down. 'Where have you been?' he asked his cousin accusingly.

Gail disregarded Caleb for a moment and examined her husband, only now realising the state he had gotten himself into without her. He always shaved and kept a well groomed appearance; however, his short beard and untrimmed hair gave him an older look that she was not sure she cared for. 'Oh here and there' she forced a warm smile then leaned in closer to Lucas and placed a soft kiss on his lips, when she sensed his rage just beneath the surface.

'Care to introduce your friend?' Lucas asked sharply, before pulling Gail to him and placing his arm around her possessively.

Dylan glanced at Gail ready to step him if required, then stood down when she shot him a look of warning. 'I was just leavin'' he advised and raised his hands in a surrendering gesture, then walked around the group and headed towards the shops at the top of the Pier.

'Why not just officially brand me as your possession? It'd stop any confusion' Gail said irritated and shrugged his arm off of her, then reached for Luke.

Lucas pulled the buggy away from her and handed it to Caleb, before signalling for his boy to continue on the way they were heading. 'Oh but you are my possession Gail, you better remember that' he stated dominantly and gripped her chin hard then kissed her forcefully, before leaving her and catching up to his boys.

Gail let out a long sigh as she watched them leave, then turned towards Selena. 'What are you looking at?' she snapped irritated.

'A broken family' Selena smirked.

Gail shook her head, then disregarded the comment and turned to leave.

Selena sauntered towards her and leaned in closer. 'I heard about what you said in Jimmy's Bar last night and I appreciate the support, so I'll give you a little advice woman to woman' she advised seriously.

Gail stared at her unimpressed and let out a small laugh. 'I don't need your advice from you Selena, you need to focus on your own life and not mine' she stated, then began to walk away.

Selena grabbed her arm and pulled her back abruptly, before leaning in close to her ear. 'I'd never begrudge a person for wanting to reconnect with their past, especially when they're clearly looking for a little comfort; however, if I were you I'd question why other women, such as your old friend Holly, broke away from that one' she warned, then turned around and walked back the way she had came.

Gail was about to follow and question the warning, when she when she heard her mobile telephone ringing and cursed out loud at the interruption.

* * *

Rita drove towards Johnson's Bridge, after she had picked up her friend and took a detour to Goat Town. Rita had been surprised to get a call from Gail this late in the afternoon on a Saturday; however, Ben had taken Izzy and Ben Jr fishing, so she was happy for something to take up her time other than wedding planning. She had not expected to bear witness to the horror they had found in Goat Town and now she felt sick.

'I don't know why you're intrigued by such dark things, it ain't right for a woman' Rita stated, trying to get the vision of what she had just witnessed out of her head.

Gail was typing on her laptop in the front passenger seat and smiled at Rita's comment. She had received a tip about a body being found in Goat Town and had required a ride, seen as she had left her car at her old place of residence and allowed Dylan to drive her into Town.

She had just left the scene where her Tattoo Artist was found dead. Although she was disturbed to learn of the brutal attack, she was trying to remain professional and wanted to ensure she got the scoop before the other Reporters swooped in. 'I've always been fascinated by death, it's so final and unlike a lot of people in this Town, I like to get to the bottom of what causes it. I don't particularly care how I'm supposed to behave as a woman...I guess my lifestyle column gets me forgiven by the masses, no matter how much gore I put into my other more relevant articles' she stated, then rolled her eyes when Rita pulled her tongue at her.

'You gonna tell me what's happenin' with you and Lucas now?' Rita asked, not accepting her friends distraction tactics.

'A man's dead and you're more concerned about my love life?' Gail asked in disbelief, not pausing from her typing.

'Oh so there is still love there?' Rita asked sarcastically, then smiled sweetly when Gail shot her an irritated look.

Gail saved her document and closed the laptop down, before turning her full attention towards Rita. 'What there is or isn't is none of your business' she stated bluntly.

'It sure is if you're gonna be my Maid of Honour with him as the Best Man' Rita snapped, attempting to keep her stress over the wedding from showing.

Gail had suspected these honours would fall to her and Lucas, it was obvious as they were who Ben and Rita were closest to; however, their wedding was the farthest thing from her mind right now and she finally had a real article to write. 'I'm sure it'll all work out at some point' she lied in a reassuring tone, then opened her laptop again and started typing.

Rita shook her head at how dismissive she was, then turned into the parking space next to Ben's police cruiser and turned off the engine. 'It may as well work itself out now, seen as we're expected at a family function' Rita smiled smugly, then got out of the car and left Gail by herself.

Gail watched as Rita started walking down the bridge and cursed out loud when she spotted her family in the distance. She was about to disregard them all and focus on what she was writing, when the sound of Luke's faint cries travelled to her ears and she slammed the laptop shut. She ran her fingers through her hair in exasperation and got out of the car, then began begrudgingly heading towards them all.

Gail forced a sweet smile as she passed the die hard fisherman who did not let the weather tear them away from their favourite past time, then continued towards her group. The air was colder here by the water and she wished she had grabbed her coat this morning, rather than wearing just a thin jumper and knee length skirt. She crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to protect against the icy cold breeze, then set her backpack down on the bridge floor and reached for her son, who was struggling to get away from his father.

Lucas was taken aback by her appearance and did not appreciate her interference with his son; however, he did not fight her when she took hold of Luke and just watched her cautiously, sensing her suspicion of how he was handling their son.

'Here we are, one big happy family' Rita smiled, then leaned down and kissed Ben affectionately on the lips before picking up Izzy.

Gail rolled her eyes at the comment and hugged Luke to her chest, as he clung on to her neck tight. 'Miss me' she whispered in his ear, then kissed his cheek lovingly and cuddled him tighter.

'He's not the only one' Lucas advised, coming up behind her and stroking her back softly as he sensed how much she had missed their son.

Gail was about to pull away from his touch, when she felt eyes on her from all around them. She thought back to the comment Selena had made and realised that this was as good a place as any to squash the whispers about their family; therefore, she leaned back into his touch and allowed him to kiss her neck affectionately. 'Been to Goat Town recently?' she asked quietly, deciding she might as well get something out of this visit seen as she was still on the clock.

'Not that I recall, are you thinkin' of any time or location in particular?' he asked feigning ignorance, as he ran his lips over her neck and nipped at it playfully.

Gail felt his beard tickle her skin and bit her lip to stifle a giggle. 'Last night and to a Tattoo Parlour on Marple Road' she said, trying her best to keep a serious professional tone.

Lucas pondered her question for a moment, then smiled. He had thought that he would have longer before she discovered his loss of control; however, it appeared that news continued to travel fast around his Town. 'I was at home all night with our son's, maybe your new friend was there' he mocked then watched as she disregarded his comment, handed Luke to Ben and allowed her to lead him away from the group.

Gail dragged Lucas off the bridge and settled behind a large tree, which blocked them for prying eyes. 'You did it didn't you?' she asked seriously, searching his eyes for confirmation of her suspicions.

'Did what?' he asked feigning confusion. 'I told you, I've been with our boys for the better part of two days while you've been gallivantin' around Town tryin' to forget your family'

Before Gail could stop herself, her hand came up and slapped him hard across the face. 'You Lucas, I've been trying to forget you and I don't appreciate you accusing me of not wanting my family. I'd also have liked it if you didn't kill a man just for giving a me a tattoo' she snapped, unable to control her anger.

Lucas sensed his opening and smiled, he had not expected her to take this so personally and welcomed the opportunity to converse like they used to. 'Two tattoo's, one in a place only I now know of' he whispered, then knelt down and pushed his hand under her skirt whilst staring up at her seductively.

'Don't even think...' she started, then felt lips on the tattoo at the top of her thigh and his beard brushing against her panties. She let out a low moan, then willed herself to focus on the matter at hand and forced a stern tone. 'You can't just go around killing people because they touch me Lucas'

'Yes I can' he shrugged, then tangled his fingers in her panties and pulled them down slowly.

'I'm telling you to stop' she ordered unconvincingly, then let out a small moan and tangled her hand in his hair when he ran his beard over her sweet spot and licked her playfully.

Lucas could sense she was furious; however, she was finding it hard to concentrate due to his teasing and that meant she was still his. He continued licking and nipping at her sweet spot, sensing her start to unravel then pulled her panties back up and got up to meet her face to face. 'You want me to stop, so be it' he obeyed smugly, then kissed her nose softly and started heading back towards the group, leaving her to feel pent up and frustrated.

Gail stood still in shock for a moment, not knowing what had just happened, then turned towards him and grabbed his arm. 'You're not seriously stopping' she asked in disbelief, then took a step back when she saw his features turn cold.

'You wanted a normal life with a normal man?' he asked coldly, finally able to penetrate the barrier she had put in her mind and examining her relationship with the man he caught her with today.

Gail sensed the intrusion and shut him out quickly, knowing no good could come out of his digging. 'I'd like a normal life where my husband wasn't a murderer who tried to hurt me' she stated defensively, in an attempt to regain control, then crossed her hands over her chest and stood tall.

Lucas shook his head at the comment and let out a small laugh. 'Alright, let's do the normal life love. From now on, if you want something that I usually offer then you can reach for yourself' he advised, then started to walk away from her.

Gail let out a small laugh and held her hands up in disbelief. 'You're cutting me off? Seriously?!' she exclaimed, not believing his audacity.

'Oh and one last thing. If I catch you with that man again, I'll kill him slowly while makin' you watch' he warned, then went to rejoin his boys and left her confused at his unexpected turn.

Gail watched him bemused for a moment, then waved off his mood swing and stared out into the river to calm herself.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Christie sat on the edge of the large kingsize bed, watching her best friend sleeping peacefully. They had both been investigating the murder of Gail's Tattoo Artist recently, trying to out scoop each other like the old days and when Gail had not turned up for work at her usual time, she had become concerned and decided to look for her.

She had half expected to find that Gail had finally gone back to her husband, leaving her alone once again; however, the blood red Mustang was unmissable parked outside of her friends previous residence and she had been relieved when she saw her friends car, after the concerning stories she had started to uncover abouther friends husband in her travels.

Christie was happy to find that the spare key was still in the usual spot and when she let herself in, she had expected to run into Matt; however, when she entered the property and looked around, it appeared that most of his things were gone. She spotted Rocky asleep in front of the ground floor bedroom and quickly located her friend in her old bedroom. Christie became concerned when she spotted the amount of empty wine bottles dotted around the room and was careful not to knock any over, which would no doubt wake up Rocky.

She watched Gail for a few more minutes, as she lay comfortable asleep in bed then decided to take action and shook her gently. 'Come on sleepy head, time to get up and start the day' Christie ordered, ignoring her friends protests when she touched her.

Gail shrugged off the intrusion and pulled the covers up over her head, happy in her warm safe place and wanting to drift back into a deep sleep. She had spent all day yesterday looking into what Selena had warned her off the previous week and after she had discovered some disturbing information, she just wanted to have a break from the bad karma that followed her and wanted to be left alone.

Suddenly Rocky heard the commotion and ran into the room. He dove onto the bed, then began digging at the covers to find a way into her warm place. Gail let out an agitated sigh at Rocky's attempt to get at her, when she had shut him out of the room the previous night. She rolled over and peaked out of the covers, hoping he would leave her be when she found she was alright and closed her eyes tight when Rocky began licking her face.

'Glad to see you kept him in the separation' Christie said sarcastically and laughed as she watched Rocky burrow under the covers and settle on his Master.

Gail could not help but laugh at the unwelcome intrusion, then glanced under the covers in confusion when she noticed she was still wearing her clothes from the previous day. 'What time is it?' she asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and holding her delicate head when she became aware of the dull pounding.

'You don't wanna know, just get up and get dressed before people start talking in the office about the Sheriff's wife being spotted at her previous residence' Christie ordered, making her way to the closet and throwing her friend some suitable clothes to wear.

Gail sat up and glanced around the room, ignoring Christie's comment and shook her head in annoyance with herself at how much she had drank. She was not impressed with how she had handled herself, due to the information she had uncovered and it was not like her to bury her feelings with alcohol. 'What did you tell Mark?' she asked, dragging herself up and staggering towards the bathroom to make herself presentable.

Christie followed her cautiously, picking up the clean clothes she had thrown onto the bed and watched as her friend jumped into the shower quickly. 'I told our Editor that you drank yourself into a stupor after family time went wrong and now you're wallowing in your own self pity' she said sarcastically and waited for Gail's reaction.

Gail popped her head around the shower curtain and shot her an irritated glance. 'Family time's old news, what else you got?' she asked sarcastically, then grabbed the soap to wash the smell of alcohol off of her as it was making her nauseous.

Christie smiled for a moment, then let out a long sigh. 'You can't let yourself be seen like this just because...'

'My husband's cut me off?' Gail interrupted, then reached her hand out and nodded her thanks when Christie passed her a large towel.

Christie shook her head, then laughed at the question. 'It can't be that bad Gail, clearly you're just being dramatic. You survived without a man for years before this, since when do you need a man to keep you going?'

'He's not a man' Gail stated bluntly, then stepped out of the shower and headed towards the bedroom to avoid further conversation.

Christie let out a small laugh, as her curiosity spiked about their Sheriff at the comment and shook her head. Christie had her suspicions about a lot mysterious incidents that had taken place recently, including the death of the Tattoo Artist who no-one had any cause to dislike, apart from the man who took offence at his wife being marked.

She was determined to figure out what was going on with their Sheriff and his link to the strange happenings in this Town; however, she would not alert her friend to her investigation until she had something concrete to report.

* * *

Lucas sat behind his desk in his office, drumming his fingers on the hard dark wood. It had been a week since he had put his foot down by withdrawing his services and Gail had not spoken to him since. On the plus side she had stayed clear of that man Dylan, indicating she had heeded his warning and was in fact still listening to him.

Although this situation was not ideal for him, the switch in power was exhilarating and his pent up urges were not half as bad as they used to be when she was withholding from him. He could sense her frustrations the longer she went without a proper release and the amusement of her suffering made his easier the handle. This had now become a challenge of who's willpower was stronger and he was not about to lose, now that he was finally in control.

His day to day life was starting to become more difficult, Gail had made it her mission to uproot his usual work routine and was gunning for him on a professional level. It appeared she had taken the death of the Tattooist quite personally and was determined to find some evidence that linked him to it. He was not worried and did not believe she would actually publicise a crime that he had been involved in, not after all that they had been through previously; however, with Christie back by her side, his love appeared to have returned to her old Reporter ways and she was like a dog with a bone.

A small knock came on the door and Ben popped his head around, he appeared nervous until Lucas signalled for him to enter and sat down on a chair in front of his desk. 'Have you read the Guardian this mornin'?' he asked, not wanting to be the one to broach this subject with him.

'You mean how my wife is callin' us all incompetent for not yet makin' an arrest in the Goat Town murder? You want me to bring someone in Benji? As that won't be a problem' he asked sarcastically, wondering what poor soul he could get to take the fall for the crime.

Ben saw the devilish look in his eyes and shook his head. 'I just didn't know whether you wanted me to canvas the area or somethin' he shrugged, hoping Lucas would not take the matter into his own hands.

Lucas stood up and casually walked around the desk, then perched himself on the edge in front of Ben. 'Don't you worry about some trash story, focus on your weddin'. I'm sure Rita's excited about finally tying the knot, she let you get away without puttin' a ring on it for far too long' he smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

Ben narrowed his eyes at the unexpected gesture, then smiled back. 'She's tearin' her hair out with it all, but she's happy' he advised, then stood up and started to leave the room.

'Ben' Lucas called from his position on the desk, after pondering for a moment.

'Yes?' Ben asked warily.

'Bring around the car, I guess we should look like we're at least tryin'' Lucas sighed, then stood up and reached for his jacket.

* * *

Gail stared out into the rough water beneath her, as she stood on the edge of Jackson's Bridge and wondered how it would feel to finally let go and just jump. It had been a long day and after having no new leads with her story, she decided to come out here and clear her head. It was late in the evening and Lucas refused to allow her to take Luke from his home; therefore, she was free to roam wherever she wanted and the Trinity River always made her feel at ease.

The air was cool and the feel of it on her skin caused goose pimples to form. Usually she would attempt to wrap up when coming out to a place like this; however, she welcomed actually feeling something on her skin and let out a long relaxed breath, allowing the water to soothe her busy mind. She thought back to the night before and why she had drank so much, she had finally managed to corner her old friend Holly's Mother a few days ago and the woman had provided some interesting information about Dylan, which led her to a long list of women.

Gail had sensed his warmness was too good to be true; however, she had ignored the signs due to her ongoing battle with Lucas and now she felt disappointed in herself for being so trusting. It turned out Dylan had lulled Holly into a false sense of security when she was younger and took advantage of her. After following Holly's Mothers advice and speaking to a few more women, it turned out Dylan was known as a predator by many women in these parts and he liked to prey on weak minded individuals. Thankfully she was not weak and had instantly shut him out of her life, even though it killed her to obey Lucas' order.

It appeared that she was not destined for any normal relationship, whether it be friendship or otherwise. It had come to her attention that Christie was enquiring about Lucas again and knowing her friend as well as she did, this meant she was suspicious about something in particular and Christie would not let it go until she found the answers she required. It did not take a genius to narrow down her suspicions to the Tattooists death and Gail knew Christie's suspicions were partly due to her own recent portrayal of her husband, which she should have been better at keeping hidden.

As usual, Christie's possessiveness of her shone through and Gail did not know what she was going to do to fix it this time. Her darkness had subsided a lot since she had chosen to leave Lucas and their home, she did not want a repeat of the last time it reared it's head to correct the situation with Christie and the matter was beginning to cause her anxiety.

An uncomfortable feeling of being watched suddenly came over Gail and she stopped in her tracks. Before she had the chance to summon her darkness, she heard Dylan's soft voice and turned towards him, unimpressed by his sudden presence. 'Are you following me?' she asked casually, not allowing her distrust of him to show.

'You stopped answering my calls and this was the only way I had of seeing you' he smiled cautiously, when she saw her on the edge of the bridge and closed the distance between them.

Gail inhaled deeply in an attempt to hide her irritation, then forced a warm smile. 'I stopped answering your calls as I have a job to do and children to care for. I can't be at your beckon call every moment of the day' she said sarcastically and watched him carefully.

Dylan continued to smile and pulled his arm from behind his back, to reveal a bouquet of flowers. 'I thought I might've done somethin' wrong and wanted to apologise' he advised, pushing the flowers towards her.

Gail could not hold in her laughter and shook her head at the bouquet of red roses in front of her. At least Lucas had the brain span to mix it up and try to give her something unique. 'I've done nothing to deserve these, you should give them to a nice girl who isn't married' she smiled, not hiding the judgement from her tone.

'I don't care that you're married and you're a nice girl' Dylan advised, stepping closer to her.

'Far too nice for me' Lucas stated abruptly, as he approached the pair and shot Gail an accusing look.

Gail sensed his fury and rolled her eyes at the obvious betrayal he had imagined this meeting with Dylan to be, then stepped away from the edge and closer to her husband. Before she had a chance to explain, Lucas closed the distance between them and stared down at her dominantly.

'You know what I look for in a companion? Loyalty' Lucas advised, as he stared deep into Gail's eyes angrily and shook his head at what she was forcing him to do. He could not allow this betrayal to go unpunished and now he was required to take action to make it clear to his townspeople that his property should not be coveted.

'Listen man, nothin' happened and we were just talki...' Dylan started, then felt a hand shove him hard and he fell sideways off of the bridge.

Lucas watched bemused for a moment, as Gail's arm came out and shoved Dylan hard when he was in mid sentence. He stared at her cautiously for a moment, then smiled devilishly when he saw something dark pass over her eyes.

'I have no issue with loyalty, do you?' Gail asked flatly, ignoring Dylan completely and turned around, then began walking away as if oblivious to the seriousness of what she had just done.

'Gail?' Lucas called after her, unsure of what she expected from him but amused at her unexpected action.

Gail stopped for a moment, glanced over the side of the bridge casually and smiled when Dylan emerged for a moment, then sank back down into the water as if being pulled. 'Clean this up won't you soulmate?' she asked sweetly and walked back towards her car, not wanting to be near any of these men right now.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Gail sat behind her desk, staring at the blank screen in front of her. It had been a trying time with having to monitor Christie's suspicions whilst working on a story herself and she was becoming tired of it all. She had considered stealing the Tattooist story, they had both been investigating and she would write a more gripping article anyway; however, this would involve her lying to ensure Lucas was kept far away from the subject matter and she had sworn that she would never sacrifice her professional integrity for anything.

The situation was infuriating and to make matters worse, Lucas had changed tactics and started sending her unusual gifts rather than flowers, after she had showed her loyalty when he found her with Dylan. Gail was trying her best to stay mad at him; however, the last gift he sent was very well thought out and she could not deny that she he was beginning to break through her barriers.

Maybe it was their lack of union of late, she would never had guessed that being cut off would bother her so much and it was starting to impact her ability to remain in control. Either that or releasing her darkness had caused their connection to stir once again and she could not deny that pushing Dylan had made her feel good.

Gail gave herself a mental shake and focused on the problem at hand, she pondered over her options for a moment and smiled when an idea came to mind. Gail began typing, her smile getting wider as she released her creativity in a way that would benefit several parties and she could not believe she had not considered this sooner.

* * *

Lucas lay in bed staring up at the patterns carved into his ceiling, the sun shone through the open bedroom window and it accentuated the workmanship that had gone into this room.

He heard Luke pulling at the wooden bars on his crib and did not have to look at him to know he had pulled himself up, in an attempt to escape. His youngest son was getting strong and he had no doubt that the boy would surpass all others with his development; however, it was about time he got the boys Mother home, to ensure both of their talents were nurtured in the appropriate way.

Although Gail had proven her loyalty with the act on Johnson's Bridge, she still appeared to be gunning for him on a professional level and she did not appear to be impressed that he had allowed Dylan to survive the ordeal she had forced upon him. Lucas thought that showing some compassion may have turned her back to his way and had arranged for several unique gifts to be delivered to her office to show his appreciation of her; however, this only served to push her further away and he was running out of ideas of how to correct this situation.

What did not help the matter was Christie, he had noticed she was questioning the murder of Gail's Tattoo Artist more and more these days. Gail was still mad at his loss of control and was not providing any assistance; therefore, he was left with a hard choice of what to do with the meddling Reporter, who happened to be his estranged wife's best friend of late.

This situation had dragged on for far to long and the longer Gail was away from him, the more outside influences tried to keep them apart. He would not have that and he was starting to grow tired of the disobedience which surrounded him.

A small knock took him away from his thoughts and he nodded at Caleb peering around the door, to authorise his entry. Caleb waved happily at Luke, then disregarded his brother's frustrated cry to be freed and sat on the bed beside Lucas.

'You need a lift to school?' Lucas asked, without moving from his position on the bed and continued to stare up at the ceiling.

'Nah, I'm gonna ride...You need anythin' from me before I go?' Caleb asked, wanting to show his willingness to serve his father.

Lucas sensed the boys eagerness to please him and shook his head. 'If you can drag your cousin back here, then great. If not, we're all good for now son' Lucas forced a smile and signalled for him to leave.

Caleb let out a long sigh and shook his head, annoyed at his cousin for affecting their family life. 'Here' he said, throwing the Trinity Guardian newspaper on the bed and gave Luke a kiss before leaving the room.

Lucas inhaled deeply, then got out of bed to pick up Luke and sat back down with him clinging to his chest. He picked up the newspaper and turned it over in his hands, not interested in mundane articles by his loves colleagues; however, his attention was instantly drawn to the front page headline when he realised who the author was. His mouth opened in shock at the words, then he quickly turned to the two page spread and began reading curiously.

Lucas disregarded Luke pawing at his face and began laughing, causing his son to mirror his reaction. He threw the newspaper down and headed to his wardrobe with Luke and picked out suitable outfits for them both to head to his office.

* * *

Ben stood behind the Sheriff's Station counter, staring disapprovingly at the Reporters who had filled the reception area. He had not been impressed that he had been kept out of the loop and was furious that Lucas had thrown him to the wolves by not turning in.

'Come on Deputy, surely you have a comment? Is it true that he's already been arrested and is here in the Station?' a tall pale man asked and pushed a tape recorder into Ben's face.

'Have you had him in custody for long? And is it true that he could be linked to the murder in Goat Town?' Danielle asked, trying to gather more information than had been published in the Trinity Guardian for her television segment.

'Calm down Danielle, you wouldn't wanna force me to scare my boy with the grizzly details of such a crime would you?' Lucas asked charmingly, as he entered the Sheriff's Station with Luke in his arms.

Danielle turned towards him and melted at the sight of the beautiful baby, who looked to image of his father. 'Of course I wouldn't want this gorgeous boy to be subjected to any bad comment, but we all have to work extra hard to keep ahead of your wife Sheriff' she said with a hint of accusation in her tone, then remembered who she was talking to and took a cautious step back.

'I guarantee my wife doesn't get the scoop from me' he informed her, 'In fact, I'm pretty damn pissed that this story ran before I could give an official statement'

'And what would that statement be Sheriff?' Christie asked bitterly, not entirely sure that she trusted the information her friend had gotten published.

Lucas walked up to her casually and stared deep into her eyes. 'That I won't comment on any active case, regardless of who's askin'' he said bluntly, then signalled for all the Reporters to leave.

Christie stood tall and stared at him defiantly for a moment, then shook her head and left with the other Reporters.

Lucas watched her leave, then shrugged at Ben when he shot him an accusing glance and handed Luke to him, before heading to the cells. He glanced through the small window on the door and smiled when he saw Dylan in a cell, apparently passed out. He did not know how he had gotten in there and he was curious as to what this all meant.

After Dylan had gotten on his radar, he had found out of his unauthorised actions with a lot of women in his Town and had added him to his list of townspeople who required punishment; however, it appeared the matter was already in hand and he was intrigued about what his love had been hiding from him.

'You should be more concerned about what isn't being hidden' Gail said from her seated position behind his desk and waited for him to come to her.

Lucas sensed her immediately when the words came left her mouth and headed straight for his office. He smiled when he found her sat with her legs crossed on his chair and closed the door, so they could be alone. 'Have you been a good girl Mrs Buck?' he asked teasingly, as he approached her position and knelt down in front of her, unable to hide how impressed he was with her actions.

Gail inhaled deeply and shook her head. 'I'd have been a very good girl had your townspeople not caused a Reporter to start digging up dirt on you' she advised, disregarding her own blame in adding to Christie's suspicions.

Lucas laughed, then licked his lips as he parted her legs and ran his hand up her calf slowly. 'It ain't my fault your friend's jealous of what I am to you' he stated knowingly.

Gail narrowed her eyes at him, then let out a small laugh and leaned closer to him. 'Jealousy isn't what drives people like Christie and I, it's inconsistencies and falseness that lead the way for a take down' she advised and allowed him to keep touching her for the moment.

'Well the last time she decided to threaten me, you hurt her fatally...Do I need to be concerned with a potential sudden outburst?' he asked, disregarding her comment and enjoying their closeness. 'Truly I don't mind your colourful behaviour, but I'd like a little warning to make sure you're well protected from the backlash'

'You should be concerned about how you're going to get that man in there to confess to a murder he didn't commit, when my article only details his sexual assaults' Gail advised, disregarding his question and attempting to ignore the pleasure of his hands stroking her legs.

'And you're fine with me puttin' an innocent man in this position?' he asked, knowing how much her morals and integrity mean to her.

'That man isn't innocent. I know how many women he's hurt and there's a list of a lot of his victims all neatly labelled in that envelope over there, to enable you to close this case promptly' Gail glanced towards the large white envelope she had sealed with his name on it, then held up her wrist and showed her bracelet. 'I suppose I should thank you for this'

Lucas ran his finger over the white gold bracelet, with a small dreamcatcher attached and a symbol carved into it. 'I gathered you'd appreciate something a little unique, rather than the 100 bouquets of flowers that I've sent you in the past few weeks' he advised and watched her closely, unsure what to make of her change in behaviour and not wanting to give her an excuse to pull away.

Gail inhaled deeply and tried to remember how it felt when he pressed the knife against her neck, in an attempt to push away the sudden wave of feelings that flowed through her. She did not know why she had come here, she initially thought it was to revel in the justice she had started for the victims of Dylan's attacks; however, her attention was not focused on him, it was firmly on the Adonis in front of her.

Lucas sensed her thoughts and inhaled deeply. 'Infinity, you recognise the symbol?' he asked, then pushed his hands gently beneath her short skirt and smiled when she did not fight him.

Gail closed her eyes and shook her head, he had hurt her deeply and no gift was going to take that away; however, if he had truly hurt her so bad, why was she plagued with thoughts of how good it felt when he was inside of her? Her mind was conflicted and she was using all of her will power to remain in control.

'I'm sorry' he whispered, as he cupped her chin in his hands and gently pulled her lips to his.

Gail kept her lips closed, not allowing him pierce her barrier; however, when he repeated the words again she felt a strong wave of warmth flood through her and welcomed his tongue into her mouth. They kissed passionately for a moment, then Gail pulled away and stood up.

Lucas grabbed her hand from his kneeling position and pulled her back to him. 'Don't go' he requested, close to pleading and nipped at her fingers teasingly.

'I'm already gone' Gail advised, stroking his soft beard gently and tried to leave again.

'No' Lucas ordered and pulled her down to a kneeling position on the floor with him. 'This ends now'

Gail was about to insert her own dominance when she saw the yearning in his eyes and let out an exasperated breath. 'Is this something I'm supposed to get used to?' she asked, ignoring his statement and stroking his beard again.

Lucas had expected her to fight him and her question threw him. When he regained his senses, he pushed her down gently and slowly parted her legs. 'Only until I have my fun' he said seductively, then removed her panties and rubbed his beard softly over her sweet spot.

Gail allowed herself to be controlled and welcomed his touch. The small hairs tickled her and she could not hold in her laughter, until he pushed his tongue inside of her and caused an intense surge of pleasure to flow through her.

'Come home' he whispered, then began making patterns inside of her with his tongue.

Gail bit her bottom lip and shook her head, not wanting to allow him to win.

Lucas sensed her action and pushed two fingers inside of her, then licked her delicate area while pushing his fingers in and out of her. 'Come home' he repeated, sensing her enjoyment and willing her to unravel for him.

Gail was losing her mind, it had felt like a lifetime since he had satisfied her and she was trying so hard to remain in control. 'No' she snapped, then let out a low moan when she felt him nip her playfully and let out a small laugh.

Lucas sensed her barrier falter and unzipped his pants quickly, then thrust his hard manhood inside of her. He laughed when she let out a surprised moan and began moving in and out of her slowly. 'You will come home today' he ordered, then sped up his movements and let out a loud moan when she ripped open his shirt and clawed at his chest.

Gail shook her head for a moment, then let out a frustrated breath and kissed him passionately. She missed her boys and the way Lucas made her feel, no matter how much he had hurt her. Lucas was complicated, she knew that before she got involved with him and she also knew that he would not openly try to hurt her, unless he sensed his sons in danger.

Lucas waited for her response and when none came, he slowed his movements again. 'Yes? he asked hopefully.

'Yes' she repeated, begrudgingly.

Lucas smiled and pushed himself deeper inside of her. They were not back to how they used to be; however, it was a start and he was determined to ensure nothing broke up his family in the future, including his loves best friend.

-The End-


End file.
